Lifestyle and home remedies

If you're worried about your risk of breast cancer, take steps to reduce your risk, such as:

• Exercise most days of the week. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. If you haven't been active lately, ask your doctor whether it's OK, and start slowly.

• Maintain a healthy weight. If your current weight is healthy, work to maintain that weight. If you need to lose weight, ask your doctor about healthy strategies to accomplish this.

  Reduce the number of calories you eat each day, and slowly increase the amount of exercise. Aim to lose weight slowly — about 1 or 2 pounds (about .5 or 1.0 kilograms) a week.

• Don't smoke. If you smoke, quit. If you've tried to quit in the past, but haven't had success, ask your doctor for help. Medications, counseling and other options are available to help you quit smoking for good.
• Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. Limit your alcohol consumption to one drink a day, if you choose to drink.
• Limit hormone therapy for menopause. If you choose to take hormone therapy for menopause signs and symptoms, limit your use to the lowest dose for the shortest length of time necessary to provide relief.